The Portland daily press. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1862-1921, 1887-05-26
TERRIBLE CALAMITY
Theatre comique at Paris Catches
Fire During a Performance.
Sixty Persons Reported to Have Been
Killed or Injured.
Vivid Pen Pictures Of the Horrible
Scenes.

PARIS, May 25.-The Opera Comique was
burned tonight. 1t is feared many persons
lost their lives. The fire broke out during
the performance. The theatre was crowded.
AT the first alarm rush was made for the
exits. The fire spread with great rapidity
Many persons sprang from the windows to
the ground. Fourteen were instantly killed
by the fall, and 43 were picked up more or
less injured. some fatally, many very serious
ly. The probability is large number Of
persons have been crushed to death in the
galleries and ON the stairway. Many occu-
pying seats near the stage were undoubtedly
caught by the fire and burned to death.
The fire broke out during the first act Of
the opera ,'Mignon." One of the wings
caught fire from gas jet. The entire stage
was Immediately enveloped in flames. The
fire soon spread to the whole house. All the
actors ran out in stage costume. The. au-
dlence got out easily. The gas was turned
off before all had left the building. 1t is
feared some were left in the upper tiers. The
roof soon fell in. With the exception Of
Nine. SELLER, who perished, all the actors
escaped, though several supernumeraries
were injured severely.
Five bodies terribly burned, were conveyed
to the national library. Among these was
the body of woman claSping little boy in
her arms. Nineteen persons are now known
to be dead. Many were supers. The arti-
ticial fire apparatus, which had been placed
in position in readiness for the burning of the
palace in the second act, rolled down from
its place near the roof and exploded below.
Women, half clad, carrying their costumes
fled from the stage. screaming. Some of the
supers fled with nothing on but tights. The
flames spread with such rapidty that in IF
teen minutes the stage was vast furnace.
Several of the actors escaped by climbing to
the roof, where they were rescued BY fire es-
capes. The killed include four fremen.
There was not frantic rush In the theatre,
but it is believed the staircase became
blocked. M. Tasquin implored the audience
to remain seated until the exits were opened,
which they did. II they had made rush
the loss of life would have been terrible.
The iron curtain was lowered In front of
the:state and prevented the fire from spread
ing Immediately to the auditorium and al
lowed the audience time to escape. Most of
the casualties were due to nervousness, many
persons unable to trust them selves to the
narrow window ledge of the conice round
the building jumped off in terror. One
woman coolly walked all ar0undthe cornice,
the flames bursting above, until she reached
the fire escape. The victims were almost all
singers. The streets in the vicinity Of the
burned theatre were crowded until early
morning. Mr.. Sewall, Solicitor British em-
bassy, said the audience showed great .calm-
ness when the alarm was giveu. When the
gas was extinguished he grouped his way to
the balcony and saw people in the street lay
ing straw mattresses to receive persons
jumping from the windows. He was ulti-
mately rescued by fremen. Only fortnight
ago NJ. Steenackers called attention in the
Chamber of Deputies to the dangerous con-
dition of the Opera Comique. Figaro also
called attention to the same thing after the
recent twelve hour benefit performance.
The scene outside was one of the widest
excitement. Falling embers struck the
horses in the surrounding streets. causing
them to plunge and rear. The flames shot
out of every window. forcing the crowd into
the narrow streets, where the crush was ter
rife. An actress says there were 80 persons
on the stage when the fire broke out. She
heard glass falling like hail storm, but told
the other girls not to mindit. While speak
ing, column of flame burst through the
wings with roar, and they all rushed pell
nell from the stage. Many policemen were
injured. 1t is still unknown how many per-
sons were unable to escape from the doomed
building.
LONDON, May 25.-Havas news agency Of
Paris places the number killed and injured
by the fire at60. The theatre was complete
ly destroyed.